1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a thermal transfer printing apparatus using an intermediate medium. This invention particularly relates to a thermal transfer printing apparatus of the sublimation type which uses the sublimation or the diffusion of dyes in response to heat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some of color thermal transfer printing apparatuses are of the sublimation type which use the sublimation or the diffusion of dyes in response to heat. Generally, such a color sublimation-type printing apparatus requires an exclusive recording paper previously provided with a color developing layer.
There have been demands for the printing of a color image on a plain paper other than an exclusive recording paper.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 4-141486 discloses the thermal transfer recording of a color picture on a plain paper. According to the disclosure by Japanese application 4-141486, a dyeing-layer transfer body is held between a recording intermediate and a thermal head, and a dyeing layer is thermal-transfer-recorded onto a mold release layer of the recording intermediate. In addition, the sublimating dye of a coloring material layer on a dye transfer body is thermal-diffusion-transferred into the dyeing layer recorded on the recording intermediate by using the dye transfer body and another thermal head. Lastly, a picture recorded in the dyeing layer on the recording intermediate is thermally transferred onto an image-receiving body together with the dyeing layer by using a thermal roller. Thus, a high-quality picture is acquired by dye thermal transfer recording without depending upon the substrate of the image-receiving body. Excellent recording is often conducted when the speeds of travel of the dye transfer body and the recording intermediate are separately controlled. The speed of travel of the dyeing-layer transfer body is often controlled also apart from the speed of travel of the recording intermediate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,814 also discloses the thermal transfer recording of a color picture on a plain paper. According to the disclosure by U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,814, a dyeing layer transfer member has a dyeing layer on a base material, and an ink transfer member has an ink layer containing a subliming dye on a base material. The dyeing layer of the dyeing layer transfer member is thermally transferred onto a recording intermediate member. Ink of the ink transfer member is thermally transferred and recorded onto the transferred dyeing layer in accordance with image signals. The recorded dyeing layer is thermally transferred onto an image receptor.